


phone-call.

by steelatoms



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: Angst, Canonical Character Death, Episode Related, F/M, Grief/Mourning, Major Spoilers, Not A Fix-It, Seriously this is upsetting, Spoilers for Episode: S05e12 I Am Legends, phonecalls
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-20
Updated: 2020-05-20
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:49:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24282358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/steelatoms/pseuds/steelatoms
Summary: When Nate doesn’t answer his phone, Ray knows something is wrong.
Relationships: Nora Darhk/Ray Palmer
Comments: 3
Kudos: 19





	phone-call.

**Author's Note:**

> well that episode left me with EMOTIONS

After his departure from the team to lead a more simple life with Nora, Ray refused to lose contact, especially with Nate, so every week they scheduled a video call to catch up, even if it was about the most meandering thing, it was great to see each other’s faces again.

Whilst Nate was occasionally on a mission, he’d  _ always,  _ without fail, message to tell Ray, so as the scientist stared at his phone, from which he’d sent at least ten texts — nobody ever called him a great anxiety manager — he knew something was wrong.

Nate had told them last time they spoke that Behrad was dead, and though he insisted on Ray staying at home with his wife, he couldn’t help but feel the pit in his stomach. One of their own was dead, and Ray felt grounded to Earth.

It wasn’t that he didn’t love spending time with Nora — in fact, he loved his peaceful life with her and wouldn’t trade it for the world, but he knew something was wrong. 

When he heard about Behrad, he refused to cry in front of Nate — not because of some toxic masculinity bullshit, no, they were past all that — but because he didn’t want to upset his grim news-bearing friend anymore.

Nate had been crying as he broke the news, his big green eyes red and irritated as his voice wavered — Ray didn’t even want to think about how Zari was handling this. Behrad was her little brother, twenty four years old. Far too young to die.

_ Where are you?  _ Ray messaged, his mind running wild with terrible thoughts of what was happening.

He didn’t notice as Nora poofed into the room, apparently finished with her fairy godmothering for the day — she had made peace with the job she was manipulated into, even enjoying it somewhat, though that didn’t stop her pouting whenever she’d come home.

Usually Ray would prop up some cushions for her, make her a cup of tea, but he couldn’t even acknowledge her due to the pit of  _ something’swrongsomething’swrong  _ growing deep within him.

Luckily, Nora immediately noticed, “Babe?”

“N—“ Ray looked up at her — even exhausted she was still beautiful, an angel he was blessed to lay his bleak and bleary eyes on, “Nora?”

“Are you okay?” she knelt beside him, putting a hand on his forehead, “You look ill.”

He shook his head, “I’m fine, it’s just Nate isn’t answering my texts.”

“That’s strange.” Nora frowned, “Ava, Zari and Sara weren’t replying in the Ladies of Tomorrow plus Charlie chat either.” Ray looked momentarily confused and Nora explained, “It’s a group chat for the girls and the genderfluid shapeshifter. You know.”

Ray nodded, then suddenly had an idea,  _ “Charlie!  _ You said that Ava, Zari and Sara weren’t replying, what about Charlie?”

“I mean, she was reading the messages—”

Ray interjected, “Which means we can try to contact her!” he cupped Nora’s face then pulled her into a brief kiss, “I love you, you’re a genius!”

Nora softly laughed as she watched Ray grab his phone, “Thanks.”

Ray phoned Charlie, and waited for her to pick up — waited for what felt like hours until a click and a meek, shaking voice spoke.

_ “Hello—“ _

“Charlie!” Ray cried, a little too loudly, “Charlie, what’s going on, why is nobody picking up?”

There was a long pause, broken by a trembling breath before Charlie whispered, “I don’t think this is something we should talk about on the phone, mate.”

Nora was gauging Ray’s confused expression as he asked, “What do you mean? What’s wrong?”

“Ray, please.” all of Charlie’s usual attitude was gone from her voice, “I only just stopped— I can’t. Please don’t make me.”

Ray’s voice became flat and serious as he demanded,  _ “Charlie. Tell me what happened.” _

There was a gentle sob on the other end as Charlie conceded, “They’re all gone. I managed to stop my sisters temporarily, but they’re gone.”

“Gone?” Ray began to blink back that tears that threatened him, his heart sinking in his chest, “What do you mean,  _ gone?” _

Charlie replied, and Ray could hear her crying as the guilt soaked into her voice, “It’s all my fault. There were these— these blasted undead zombies. And the Legends were briefly immortal — I thought— I thought it would protect them b— but there was too many, and time ran out. I ran but—“ she inhaled shakily, “They’re all dead, Ray.”

With that, the phone fell from Ray’s shaking hand, clattering to the floor as the tears rolled down his face.

_ Sara,  _ his spiritual little sister.  _ Mick,  _ the criminal with a heart of gold.  _ Ava,  _ who had a soft centre under that uptight exterior.  _ John,  _ who was willing to kill himself over and over.  _ Zari,  _ who they’d already failed.

_ And Nate — Nate,  _ his best friend who he had left and who was now dead — it was wrong, it was so wrong, everything was wrong.

“What did she say?” Nora already knew the answer but couldn’t process it until she heard him say the words.

_ “They’re all dead.”  _ Ray’s voice broke and a wracking sob escaped him as he buried his face in his hands.

Nora felt the tears fall from her eyes but couldn’t move, couldn’t  _ breathe —  _ it was like when her father died only so much worse, because her family, her  _ true  _ family were dead.

She’d have to tell Mona. Ray would have to tell Jax, and Sara’s family.

So much was running through her head and she pressed her face into Ray’s shoulder as she tried not to close herself off.

The Legends were dead, and evil had won.

**Author's Note:**

> remember to leave kudos/or comment if you like 
> 
> send hate mail to zaribehrad on tumblr or wlwlauriestrode on twitter:)


End file.
